The Future
by SageK
Summary: There can be hope even amidst the worst situations.


In the end, the human faction of the Fifth Column had little to do with Anna's defeat. Nearly a year after turning the sky red, the V's had unleashed a series of EMP bursts around the globe, crippling the multitude of technologies humanity had become dependant upon over the course of the 20th Century. The world had been totally unprepared for an electromagnetic pulse attack, though, ironically, the countries considered Third World fared far better than others.

The detonation of dozens of nuclear bombs in the atmosphere fired circuitry, microchips and the heart of all electronic devices. Since microchips control vehicles, trains, and airplanes, most became inoperable. The majority of cities rapidly declined into chaos and survival became priority. During that first year, many died from starvation or disease, and countless numbers froze during the winter.

The military was largely protected and prepared, but the government had done virtually nothing to address the effects of such an attack on the civilian sector. Without that infrastructure, the military found it difficult to operate as well. The EMP attack took down power grids, already fragile anyway, and telecommunications networks, financial networks, air traffic controls and many other things. Without that infrastructure, it was nearly impossible to re-establish the power network. The power network was needed to keep telecommunications going for more than a few hours. The financial network was needed to continue to operate to maintain the economy, transportation systems, roads, street lights, control systems, were needed just to get people to the failed power, telecommunication and other systems….

In short, a world full of modern people were tossed back into the technological equivalent of the 1800's, but with several times the population to deal with and a lot less access to agricultural areas. Food supplies were be greatly diminished by the lack of transportation, telecommunication, power for refrigeration and so is soon became clear that life would be far more primitive, because, back in the 1800s, Americans had food from their own farms and police who rode on people on Earth struggled to survive, factions aboard the ships continued to grow under the discrete but steady guidance of Lisa. A year after the EMP, Anna discovered her daughter's betrayal and had her dragged into her office to face her punishment.

In cities around the world, the decimated population looked skyward, watching as the events aboard the New York mothership were broadcast on the bottom panels of every vessel. Anna wanted the remaining members of the human race to see what happened to those who would defy her.

Anna had stood over her daughter, who, though bloodied and beaten, refused to cry or beg for mercy. Lisa's blue eyes had widened in fear as her mother raised a blade above her, prepared to bring the sharp edge down and end her life.

It never happened.

Anna had jerked and the knife had fallen from her suddenly slack hand. A deep red stain began to spread across the chest of her cream colored silk shift. Letting out a gurgle, she staggered a step then collapsed, twitching on the deck. Her security forces were stunned into silence, unsure how to react to the loss of a queen.

Looking up, Lisa met Joshua's startled expression. It had taken months for him to even begin shaking off the brainwashing technique her mother had used on him and Lisa had been unsure how much of the original Joshua was still intact. Clearly, more than anyone had known, as he had just plunged a blade through Anna's heart.

Things had happened very quickly after that. Lisa had assumed command of the fleet and sent the majority of the ships away, under the command of Ryan, who had come back to his senses upon Anna's demise. She remained, Joshua by her side, with two ships, intent on helping humanity heal from the damage wrought by her mother.

Earth was never going to be the same as it once was, but, slowly, things were improving. New York City, once a hub of American economy, was home to a small population of hearty souls whom had chosen to remain in the city instead of fleeing to more rural areas and a small influx of newcomers who had arrived once the rioting and roaming gangs had died down.

With no more FBI, CIA, Homeland Security or NYPD to speak of, most remaining law enforcement personnel had unified under the banner of NYPD, knowing the name still meant something in spirit, if not reality. Erica Evans had survived V's and then the insanity of her fellow humans and had become one of the precinct commanders of the re-established NYPD.

Her son Tyler was on a patrol out in Queens.

It had been six years since the V's arrived and three since most of the ships had left. Erica still saw Lisa and Joshua at meetings, but most of the time her attentions were focused elsewhere.

On a rare lunch break, Erica walked into Central Park, now converted into fields for growing crops. Occasionally, someone would look up and give her a wave. She returned the greetings, but didn't stray from her course.

Entering the area designated for wheat, she grinned, catching a glimpse of the two people she was looking for. Jack Landry was crouched at the base of some crops, doing something with a small test kit. A few feet from him, a toddler sat in a small pen on the grass.

"Hey, you two," Erica called out, drawing the gaze of four cornflower blue eyes.

Jack smiled, rising to his feet and scooping G.G. (short for Georgia) out of her playpen. The little girl bounced happily and crowed, "Mama!"

Crossing the few remaining feet between them, Erica kissed each of them and smiled. "How's everything going here?"

"We're going to have a good season," he replied, eyes darting to the crops with a satisfied look. He'd grown up on a farm and the skills he'd learned there had come in very handy when it came time to plant crops in the park.

She'd never thought of life in terms of growing seasons and food supply, but that was the world she found herself living in. A world that had survived an alien invasion, where people had banded together with a simple common goal. To live, to see that humans, as a species, didn't die out.

Still, even in a world still reeling from chaos, she had found a measure of peace and happiness.


End file.
